


I'll hate you better

by greatjam



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Comedy, Friendship, Gen, Slice of Life, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 21:57:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13444227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatjam/pseuds/greatjam
Summary: Arthur and Alfred compete about everything, everywhere. They claim to hate each other with a passion, but will it change when they both incidentally end up in the same beach for the whole summer vacation?





	1. Chapter 1

Arthur and Alfred, the two As, were the talk of the school.

Most students thought that they were cute and funny, but many also found them stupid as well. Ridiculous they were – these two couldn’t help but fight about everything.

Usually it was just an exchange of playful insults, but sometimes their quarrelling escalated so bad that they had to go to headmaster’s interrogation. Teachers were used to their constant competition thing, ignoring most of it since the boys themselves didn’t seem to mind it.

Arthur and Alfred’s fights were more exciting than teenage dramas on television so their friends didn't bother to intervene.

Arthur had a group of friends that consisted of four people: Arthur, Kiku, who was smart and modest, Matthew, who rarely opened his mouth but everyone liked him, and Francis, who annoyed Arthur to no end. There were also some other people who they were friends with, but rarely hung out.

The group was considered cool in the school because of the boys' looks and charm. The boys instead were fascinated by Michelle’s group, that consisted of beautiful girls.

Alfred usually hung out with the 'jocks', who were a little bit douchey.

“Jones, did you know that I’m going on a trip next week? I bet you’re just home eating crisps and playing some stupid video games”, Arthur smirked. The class had ended and they had the whole break to brag about their plans for vacation.

“Do you mean, like, drugs? That stuff’s bad, man”, Alfred laughed teasingly.

“No, we're going to a beach resort, you twat.”

When Arthur heard that they were going to spend the whole summer at some secluded beach vacation place, he had been annoyed. He didn’t care for beaches, he just wanted to read books in peace and maybe have a nice time with his friends. In the end he gave up mourning and decided to boast.

“Well, I’m sure some beach isn’t nearly as cool as the place our family is going to travel to. We’re going to spend the whole summer there, oh man, I’m going to get a girl there. Want me to send some pictures of me and my summer sweetheart?” Alfred sniggered as he took his phone out as if he had some pictures to show.

“I’d love to see you and some forced poor girl, but unfortunately I’m going to have so much fun with my motor boat that I probably won’t notice your poor pictures of some over-populated ugly city”, said Arthur and crossed his hands and grinned successfully.

“Bah, I don’t believe that your family can afford one. You see; I’ll be having a beautiful car without a roof, and all the chicks will come to me! My family’s actually rich, unlike yours.”

“Do you mean a cabriolet? My family’s just all right, thank you, I think that your family has spoiled you so much that it has rotted your brain completely. You’re not even of age, how do you think you’re going to drive that oh-so-beautiful car?”

“I look of age, unlike you, babyface. The police won’t suspect anything.” Arthur puffed his cheeks in annoyance.

“Who’re you calling a babyface? I’m already fifteen, unlike you, and that means I’m older”, he announced proudly.

“By two or three months! It doesn’t matter, we’re both born in the same year, even though you don’t act like it”, Alfred remarked.  

“Are you saying that I’m childish, you, who reads some hero comics and watches baby shows all night?” Now was Alfred’s turn to blush.

“I… I don’t really… You stalker!” Alfred took an irritated breath, thinking of a good comeback whilst he was embarrassed. “Hah, it wouldn’t be all that new of you, since you’re like the nosy British grannies that monitor their neighbours through curtained windows.” 

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Why would _I_ , of all people, be interested in pursuing _you_? I just happened to come across your Tumblr blog, oh yes. Somebody requested it to me, thinking that they were very clever. Your blog turned out to be very laughable and I got good inspiration on picking on you.”

Alfred’s eyes turned to ones of horror. “Don’t tell me you actually…” He was out of words. Arthur had read the blog where he had poured his heart for years!

Behind Arthur, a little shamefully, Kiku tried not to break out an impish smile.

Luckily for Alfred, the next class was already starting and they got separated.

 _That stupid Brit can say whatever he wants, I will so get back at him… But how? I’ll have to find out something at least equally humiliating, and say it out loud to everyone so he would get teased like I’ll get from having that kind of a blog… I could ask his friends on Lunch break,_ he thought.

Soon the class was over, and the Lunch break came. Alfred tried to search for Arthur’s friends – the other was having a coffin nail outside, so his friends were at the cafeteria.

“Alfred, is it true that you have an anime themed Tumblr blog?” some girl asked on his way there. Alfred ignored her gaining a bit red on his cheeks.

“I’ve heard that you watch kiddy cartoons at night and write dirty things about them”, another girl added.

Alfred had even redder shade on his face. “No, I don’t! Also, the ones I watch are much better than that”, he huffed angrily.

“Oh, then do you watch… That kind of cartoons?”

“No!” embarrassed by the misunderstandings, Alfred continued: “Can you please go away, I’ve got more important things to do.”

Finally he reached the cafeteria, relieved to see that Arthur was nowhere to be seen and those girls left him alone. He comfortably sat at the table Arthur's friends were eating their lunch. They set curious glances at him.

“How long he’ll be gone?” he asked. These people were nice, even though they hung out with the bastard. He could manage to communicate with them.

“I guess he’ll come after a few smokes. That means, not soon”, Kiku smiled a little. He knew that Alfred was after something.

“Oh, what is this? Alfred himself, the archenemy of Arthur’s, here?” Francis laughed to himself his weird obnoxious laugh.

“Yeah, I just want to get a payback at him. Everyone in the school thinks now that I’m a massive nerd and the girls don’t want to date me anymore. I want to ask you a few questions. If you want something to trade for the information, I’ll be glad to”, Alfred sneered.

Matthew wanted to stay out of this, so he took out his phone and started to play Candy Crush.

“Of course we’ll help you, right, Kiku?” He nodded at Francis’s question. 

“So, you want to humiliate him, yes? Oh, I know a lot of things he’s done over the years… Wait, I think I know the one. Kiku, that picture’s in your phone, isn’t it?”

Kiku took out his phone and started searching something that only the two knew of.

“You see, Alfred, his pride won’t be able to take it, if you’ll bring it to daylight. Oh no, we’ll not take anything from you, just promise to not announce where you got the information from.”

“Francis, I found it”, Kiku said and raised his phone so Alfred could see the screen too.

It was a picture of Arthur, sleeping with an old teddy bear that had probably been in his grip at nights for years.

“Oh my God, this is great. This is so great. Can I borrow the phone to print it? This is going to be so awesome.” Alfred was feeling triumphant and soon ran to the printer room.

After having it all ready, the phone returned and the photograph on paper, he went to the class waiting for the next break.

When the class was over, Arthur was met by several girls who came to him with dreamy smiles.

“You’re so cute, Arthur!”

“You act all tough but inside you’re a sweetheart!”

“Oh my God, I can’t take it!” Some of the girls squealed.

He was confused, but flattered by the attention girls gave him.

But behind all those girls was even more baffled Alfred.

“This wasn’t supposed to go like this! At all!” he said to Francis and his friends, who were also marvelling the scene.

“This was unexpected, I must admit”, Francis said. Was that tone envious?

“There is still a chance for you, Alfred. Go show that picture to him”, Kiku said encouragingly. Instead of standing just there he decided to listen to the Japanese boy’s wise words. Slowly he approached Arthur who was in the centre of a girl crowd, finally him noticing Alfred.

“What is it?” he asked, seemingly busy.

“Just thinking that you’d want to know what caused you to be ‘cute’”, Alfred smirked, challengingly.

Suspecting the American to have something really bad in his sleeve, Arthur took a reserved expression on his face. Dramatically Alfred took the paper from his pocket, straightening it and then turning the picture in front of the Brit’s face.

“Does this look familiar to you?” Alfred asked in a chilly tone, satisfied of the startled look on Arthur's face. Little by little his face turned absolutely red from embarrassment. He snatched the picture from Alfred and angrily tore it in so little pieces that nobody could perceive anything of them.

“Who’s the stalker now? How did you come to my room and take such pictures?” he was not playful anymore in his anger.

“Oh, it was no stalker who took that picture, I received it from a friend”, Alfred coolly responded, smiling victoriously. Devastated, the Brit struck him hard to his right shoulder.

Alfred let out a surprised yelp, but when he got a grasp of the situation again, Arthur was far away speeding towards his friends.

“He shouldn’t have gotten _that_ angry about such thing”, he muttered. In the end, the humiliation Arthur did to Alfred was much greater, since all the girls were swooning for the Brit right now. But Lord, he had temperament.

* * *

When the last packing was done, Arthur and his family put their luggage in the car. There were quite a lot of belongings, since they would spend a long time at the leased summer house.

“So, it will be the two of us in the backseat, Artie?” Alistair grinned as Arthur frowned and sat in the car. Soon, they were on the road, and Arthur had to listen to his parents arguing over radio channels for the whole trip. Alistair listened to music, probably punk rock, as Arthur watched the landscape.

Two of his brothers were left home, his parents believing that they would behave nicely and not have a party every weekend. They had part-time jobs, so they were fine. Alistair didn’t get one, or didn’t bother trying, so their mother wanted him to come with Arthur. She wanted him to make sure that Arthur didn’t get in any trouble, being very overprotective of her favourite son. Alistair didn’t mind, because the handsome bloke as he was, he had already planned to go to these crazy parties that were in the neighbouring huts. Arthur would have opposed, if Alistair wasn’t the one who got him cigarette packs.

Just moments after they had arrived to the place, the luggage was spread around the house and everyone chose their rooms. It was peaceful and nice, some woods nearby and the beach was so close it could be seen through the window. It was reserved only for the people who lived in the huts, including the Kirkland family.

 _Maybe tomorrow I could go there. Now, I’m so tired that I’ll just read a book and rest._ Arthur arranged his clothes and took out the seven books that he had planned to read. Just in case the books weren’t enough, he had his phone.

 _I feel that even if I don’t get to see my friends, this vacation will be fun if I want it to be. Now belt up, Kirkland,_ he smiled to himself, as he looked through the mirror that was hung on the wall.

Little did he know that Alfred Jones had just arrived in the neighbourhood, unaware of his archenemy in the next door.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Not long after settling to the house, Arthur had fallen asleep on the bed with his clothes on. In the following morning he woke up and sat on his bed, thinking about what to do.

_First, I could change my clothes._ He turned to look out of the window. _The weather’s quite nice. I could go outside to explore the area. Maybe I’ll meet someone of my age._

He decided to wear light shorts and a t-shirt. His parents had gone somewhere, and Alistair was still sleeping. Arthur thought of eating breakfast, but the shelves were empty and Arthur concluded that his parents were out buying food. When he stepped outside with his worn out sandals, he took a breath and started walking towards the beach.

The sky was clear and just a few clouds hovered there with birds flying somewhere far away. As Arthur stepped on the warm sand, there were only a few people enjoying the sun. He sat somewhere in the middle and listened as the waves calmly swept the shore, swept the shore, swept the shore…

And then he saw something. Or more like _someone_ , who was looking at him, as horrified as he was. They stared at each other in shock.

“Alfred? How come you’re here too?” he wavered.

Little by little his shock turned to resentment. Why was he here, just when Arthur thought that this vacation wouldn’t be all that bad?

He was wrong. This vacation would be the worst, because if this was the place Alfred bragged about, he would be stuck with Alfred for the whole summer.

Also Alfred’s expression had gone sour. He was probably thinking the same.

“You can’t be serious”, he huffed. “I’ve already checked the whole area, and you’re the only one who’s the same age…”

“Oh no. Please be kidding”, Arthur pleaded, but it was no use.

“I’m so _not_ going to hang out with you, even if this place was a deserted island. You suck ass”, Alfred kindly informed.

“Well, all I can say is that the feeling is mutual. I hope you have a shitty summer, prick”, Arthur said as gentlemanly as he could and then turned his back at Alfred and walked back to his house.

His parents had already come back and they smiled gently at Arthur, who surly slammed the poor front door as he came in.

“What happened, dear? You look tense”, his mother noted.

“Just guess. Alfred fucking Jones is going to spend his vacation here, and there are no other teens around. This summer’s going to be a big bummer”, Arthur responded, trying to behave in front of his parents and not kick that chair down.

“Don’t use such crude language, Artie-boy. I know that you and Alfred dislike each other, but try to get along, all right? Maybe the thing that started your fighting was some misunderstanding between you two. I think that you could become good friends if you didn’t have the need to rip each other’s hair off”, she commented calmly.

“I wouldn’t be friendly to him, not even for thousand golden coins. Okay, maybe if I could mix morphine into his coffee in the meantime”, he laughed to himself.

“Arthur!” she snapped. Alistair came down the stairs.

“Are you planning to murder someone in Agatha Christie style? You read too many books. You should party more”, the red-head smirked.

“Really? Well, I’ve got nothing else to do…” there was hopefulness in Arthur’s voice. He could brag about it to Alfred, show how much cooler he was.

“No, of course”, glared their mother.

“I wouldn’t take you. You’re still and forever a brat”, Alistair replied.

“This will be the worst vacation ever…” muttered Arthur as he retreated to his room.

* * *

As Alfred watched Arthur leave, he felt his annoyance growl inside him. But when the other boy was gone from his sight, he wondered what to do next.

And Alfred had absolutely nothing to do.

Sure, he could go swimming, but it was boring alone. He couldn't think of anything else at the moment. Then he thought of Arthur…

It would do. He grinned to himself, oh yes. He could annoy him, it would be fun, and Alfred doubted that the other had anything to do. _But how could I reach him?_

And so he started wandering in the neighbourhood in hopes of finding where Arthur and his family lived. He checked every hut nearby, and when he reached the house next to his, he looked inside from the window as he did with the previous ones and he saw Arthur’s red-haired brother there, Alistair.

_This must be the right one!_ he thought as he went to the door and knocked. It was Alistair who opened the door, asking: “Hello- Wait, aren’t you Arthur’s playmate? Fred, was it?” Alfred nodded eagerly.

“Alfred, but it’s not that strict. He isn’t busy, is he?” he had to be polite because even if they were aware about their quarrels, Arthur’s family was not part of it.

“That lazy squirt’s never busy. If you want to play with him, I’ll call him here”, Alistair was turning to shout for his brother, but before he could, Alfred said: “No, I want to surprise him, if that’s all right.”

“Go for it, Freddy. That boy needs to be separated from his books for once”, he laughed and tapped Alfred on his back and let him in.

Alfred walked inside the house, but stopped in his tracks when he noticed that he had no idea where Arthur’s room was. Again, he turned to Alistair, who then said: “Ah, yes, it’s the first room on the upper floor when you turn left from the stairs.”Alfred nodded and went up the stairs and stopped right in front of Arthur’s room door. Apparently he was listening to music, but not very loud.

He had to think of what to say. He couldn’t just go in and say something lame. Or maybe he could. He had to be creative.

“Hey Arty-Party, wouldn’t you listen for _real_ music for once?” Alfred teased as he stepped in the room.

“What the hell Alfred, what are you doing here? Get out!” the other shouted, surprised of Alfred invading his home. “How did you even get here?”

“Your brother let me in. So, are we going to listen to good music or not?” he walked to Arthur’s computer and took a look at the screen. _The Cure, huh. Never heard of it._

“Wait, what are you doing with my computer? Don’t touch it!” But it was too late. Alfred already changed the music to his tastes, it being the top hit list of the year.

“Why did you come here? To annoy me even more? Go away!” Arthur ranted as he put his book safely on the nightstand.

“Don’t be such a shrew. Have a little pity for the bored”, Alfred smiled.

“Don’t you have anything else to do? What about that fancy cabriolet, where is it?”

“Uh…” he really didn’t have a car, he had just wanted to show off. It wasn’t wrong, because Alfred believed 100% that Arthur did not own a motor boat.

“I should’ve known. Shouldn’t you be getting that girl you talked of?” Arthur rolled his eyes. Why was teasing the Brit the only action Alfred could think of?

“You must be getting dementia at young age, dear sir. I _said_ that nobody here is our age. It wouldn’t be cool to have a 20-year-old girlfriend, you know”, Alfred explained.

“I guess I have no choice then, I’m also quite bored so I’ll humour you. What do you want to do?” Arthur exhaled in surrender.

“You misunderstood me. There’s no way I’d want to hang out with you, I just want to annoy”, the other declared as he sat on the bed next to the Brit.

“Then why are you still here? Didn’t you already get what you wanted?” oddly enough, Arthur didn’t want for Alfred to leave yet. He didn’t want to read all day.

“Well…” he couldn’t think of a good response, since he did want to stay.

“Whatever. I want to go watching the lake. If you are so bored, you can come with me.”

“Do you mean swimming?” Alfred beamed.

“If you absolutely want to…”

“Then, you wait me in front of your house, I’ll go get my swimming trunks, okay?” But it wasn’t a question; soon they both were walking towards the beach, maybe bickering a little along the way, but at least having someone to go with. Arthur had taken some food with him, sandwiches and water, as his mother wouldn’t let the boys get hungry.

As they arrived to the dock, Alfred quickly looked at Arthur and said: “Aren’t you going to swim?”

“I’m not. I’ll just listen to the waves and maybe wet my feet.”

“That’s boring. You’re boring.”

“I don’t care”, Arthur said with a truly uncaring expression on his face as he sat down on the wooden planks and took out a book that he had put in the bag with the food. Alfred answered by a simple humph and started taking his clothes off.

Not too long after that came a big splash that told Arthur that the American had gone swimming.

When Arthur grew tired of reading, he put the book back in the bag and took his shoes off and tried the water with his feet. It was refreshing, not exactly warm, but the water felt good. He would have gone with Alfred, if he knew how to swim.

By splashing his feet in the water, he summoned Alfred back to the dock.

“That was fun. Really, why don’t you go, Arthurina?” Alfred breathed as he climbed on the dock.

Arthur ignored the question and splashed water on Alfred.

“It’s your loss, then”, he muttered as he sat next to the boy. Knowing that Arthur’s mother had prepared them sandwiches, he took one of them and unwrapped the soft paper protecting it from going bad and started eating. They sat in silence and were surprisingly comfortable, since they didn’t bother being polite.

Arthur lay down and closed his eyes, enjoying the sunlight. He heard as Alfred cleared his throat as he had just eaten the sandwich and drunk some of the water. “I’m going swimming again”, he announced.

“Off you go then. I’ll be here”, Arthur said and changed his side as Alfred jumped back to the water.

He didn’t notice when he drifted asleep. But he was awakened when strong hands took a hold of him and he was mid-air when he managed to open his eyes.

“Alfred! You fuckface!” Arthur shouted as he floundered in the lake splashing the water haplessly and heard as the American laughed in the background. He would insult the bastard even if they were to be his last words.

It was hard, but somehow he succeeded to get back on the deck, wet and angry.

“You should’ve seen your face! Oh my God, I can’t take it anymore!” Alfred laughed so much that he had tears in his eyes.

“I almost drowned! If I had, whose fault would it have been? Huh?” Arthur threatened with a murderous expression on his face.

“But you got back to the dock, didn’t you? Don’t be so serious!” the boy next to him smiled as he rubbed the tears of amusement from his eyes. But that didn’t lessen the anger of the Brit.

“I’d say it’s quite serious because I could’ve died. Not everyone can swim”, he fumed. Alfred stopped smiling.

“You can’t swim?” he stared at Arthur who had to turn his gaze elsewhere for his cheeks were turning red because of the shame.

“Didn’t I say it already?” Arthur said quietly, as in submission.

“That’s so lame! The great and powerful Arthurette can’t swim!” Alfred started laughing loudly again and Arthur whacked him with his book. When the other couldn’t stop laughing, Arthur had had enough and started walking fast back to his house, leaving his neighbour on the dock.

Alfred instead, didn’t quite understand why the other boy was so in rage. When he was done sniggering, he noticed that Arthur had forgotten to take his bag. It still had Arthur’s sandwich in it, which he hadn’t touched. Deciding that it shouldn’t be left like that, Alfred ate it.

Since the bag was Arthur’s it was his own responsibility to fetch it from the dock, and therefore Alfred didn’t bother to take it with him and give it back to its owner no matter how close he lived.

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my favourite stories I've written. I even had drawn a cover image! I wrote it in 2015, the original here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11095454/1/I-ll-hate-you-better  
> Did just some minor changes so that the flow would be better.


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